Garowe, Somalia — Students of Garowe Puntland's East Africa University, met to discuss issues regarding rural communities after assessing villages in Puntland State of Somalia, Radio Garowe reports.

Students from East Africa university and Puntland officials met at the university's compound in Garowe to exchange and examine what their findings were while assessing villages in Puntland.

The students examined issues like the use of coal in rural homes, the lack of proper disposal of waste and other issues affecting the rural community in Puntland.

Deputy Minister of Environment, Burhan Elmi, spoke about the ministry's findings on issues affecting rural communities and asked that the students and residents of cities across Puntland assist in upgrading the development of rural communities.

"The rural community is the backbone of Somalia and we need to work together to help solve issues that are effecting our rural population," said Minister Elmi.

The Minister of Labour, Sports and Youth, Abdiweli Hersi Abdulle (Indhoguran) also spoke at the event and congratulated the students on their research and hard work requesting that they continue to work with the government to help improve rural conditions.

"The students of Puntland's East Africa University have shed light on the issues touching the rural community and their findings and input is very much appreciated. We need to work together to ameliorate current conditions in rural communities across Puntland," said Minister Abdulle.

The students said that waste management and environmental sectors needed the most attention and asked that the residents of major cities and towns exert more effort towards solving rural issues.

A large percentage of Puntland state's population is made up of rural communities which consist of nomadic pastoralist communities.